This workshop revolves around photography as a means for asserting a personal perception of the world. Looking beyond the purely documentary, images making up a diary or inventory allow their inventor to cut free from the constraints underlying the transcription of objective reality. Antoine d’Agata's concern is to pare down the photographic act to the need to recount ordinary or extreme experiences.

Each participant will be asked to examine the ultimate goal of his approach, to play an active part in his own images, and to work on the texture of reality. Since images, like words, only take on meaning when brought together, the workshop will focus on finding the most relevant form for each individual stance. Working with Antoine d’Agata, participants must be ready to photograph intensively throughout the workshop and to extend the limits of their approach. They will have to confront their obsessions and contradictions as they shape a series of images conveying in real or fictional terms their private relationship with the world.


ANTOINE D'AGATA
Member of the Magnum agency since 2004, Antoine d'Agata received the Niépce Prize in 2001, he has published numerous works including Stigma and Insomnia (Ed. Images en Manoeuvres), Vortex (Ed. Atlantica), Ice (Ed. . Images in Maneuvers), Exhausted Night (Ed. André Frère), Virus (Ed Studio Vortex), Atlas (Ed. Textuel), The diagonal of the void (Diaphane edition). His work has been presented in more than a hundred personal exhibitions around the world: in Mexico, Japan, Ukraine, Portugal, Spain, Mali, Brazil, Georgia, Belgium, China, in the Netherlands, England, Russia, Cambodia, Australia, Vietnam, Syria, Germany, Cameroon, Austria, Turkey, the United States, Italy, France...

His images which question and push the limits of reporting make Antoine d’Agata one of the most interesting French photographers.

He works regularly for the French and foreign press, notably for the NYTimes.

Interview by the Paris National Opera for his project La vie nue
His works presented on Documents d'artistes
His gallery's website: Les filles du Calvaire
His agency Magnum


CONTENT
- Introduction to photography as a profession
- One-to-one interview and definition of a photographic project
- Analysis of the participant's earlier work and assessment of his/her level
- Daily photography sessions - Individual and group analysis of the previous day's work
- Selection of photos with a view to creating a series - Discussion of possible outlets

BRING:
- A selection of around 30 images attesting of your practice (preferably on paper/format of your choice)
- Your camera, charger and cables
- 2 or 3 memory cards - A Mac
- Compatible hard drive or your computer if you wish

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- Face-to-face course
- Location: historic center near the arena
- Mobility: staircase to access the building and several rooms (contact us)
- Number of participants: 8 to 12
- Starts 10am on the first day
- Ends 7pm on the last day, followed by a presentation of the work until 9pm
- Times on the other days: 9:30am to 12:30pm and 2:00pm to 6:00pm
- Participants can bring their own lunch and eat it on site during the afternoon break.

GOALS
- Learn the various steps involved in creating a photo series
- Develop a point of view based on a selection of photographs

LANGUAGE
Depends on the audience. A translation could be provide by an assistant if needed.

TEACHING METHOD
- Taught by an instructor and an assistant

EQUIPMENT
- Mac computers
- A photo library (app. 500 references)
- Various kinds of lighting systems, studio accessories, tripod, etc.

EVALUATION
- Private end-of-course interview and evaluation
- The instructor continuously evaluates the personal series
- Oral end-of-course evaluation

FORMALISATION AT THE END OF THE COURSE
- End-of-course certificate